Message from Olga Garay, Executive Director
As DCA launches its much awaited community-based cultural master planning process, the staff and I have taken important steps to revise DCA’s grant making policies and processes. Please read the online guidelines carefully. We have preliminarily made changes (some in collaboration with other arts agencies) to revolutionize application systems, standardize application questions, offer new options for operational support, integrate and categorize DCA’s youth arts categories into DCA’s primary Cultural Grant Program, open new dialogues, and offer special initiatives so that local arts organizations can seek different or multiple opportunities. 

Please call the Cultural Grant Program staff with any questions. We look forward to your proposals and partnership services as we build the capacity of Los Angeles arts.

DCA’s Cultural Grants Program Objectives
To enhance the City’s arts and cultural infrastructure and delivery system by providing operational and artistic project support to established and emerging nonprofit arts organizations, individual artists, and arts education specialists.

To support an array of high quality organizations and artistic projects that foster active participation in the diverse cultural life of the City.

To support organizations and artistic projects that affirmatively develop and empower culturally diverse contributions, participation, and intercultural exchange.

To encourage and support organizations and artistic endeavors that ensure the arts have broad geographic dispersion in the City.

To support exemplary business planning, practices, and programs for all types of audiences.

Application Deadline for DCA’s 2009-2010 Grant Cycle
Postmark deadline:
Friday August 15, 2008

Mail grant applications to:
DCA Cultural Grants Program
201 North Figueroa Street, # 1400 Los Angeles, CA  90012
Or hand-deliver applications to our offices Monday through Friday between 8:30am and 5:30pm.

What’s New or Emphasized
Small and mid-sized organizations may now apply for either operating or project support. Large budget organizations may apply only for project support.

Your organization’s California Cultural Data Project profile, printed as an excerpt in DCA’s funder format, is a required element. Please go to www.caculturaldata.org to create your profile before you fill out the attached DCA narrative application.

DCA grant application instructions and forms are available on-line only. DCA phased out printed booklets in 2007.

Section 2 of the attached on-line information is writable, savable, and printable. This system is most compatible with PCs. All applicants should install the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to ensure ease of use.

Non-profit organization applications, regardless of budget size, are accepted in Even and Odd year cycles for 2-year scores. This is a change from DCA’s prior system when Large Budget Organizations applied every three years.

Organizations that receive a fundable score (70 or higher) in the peer panel review will also be pre-qualified for some of DCA’s Public Art opportunities.

DCA cannot fund organizations that propose remunerations for DCA full-time or part-time employees. Please be certain the artists and other program participants you intend to pay are not employees of DCA.

DCA does not accept slides, photographic prints, or color photocopies as artistic documentation. Digital files on DVD or CD-ROM are the only acceptable formats for visual images.

Typing Your Application Online
Read each section carefully in order to understand and acknowledge all relevant information.

DCA’s online application forms are found in Section 2. Be sure you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader when working on the DCA grant application; you can download it at www.adobe.com. Type and print your application on the computer, then mail in your completed hard copies.

Even though saving the forms is possible, it is still a good idea to draft your answers in a separate document, then cut, paste, and edit as you complete your application.

Start early! The connection to DCA’s online system tends to get overloaded the last week before each deadline.

The DCA Cultural Grant Program staff will help troubleshoot technical issues to the best of our ability. However, some forms may not work appropriately on older model computers.

All scanned and approximated forms will be accepted.

Printing and Submitting Your Application
DCA’s process requires you to print, collate, and mail us eight (8) sets of your paper materials and one (1) artistic work sample.  Review DCA’s Submission Checklist and follow the instructions to submit a complete package.